A feminist review of 'The Incredibles'

[CaptainCanada]

There's no doubt that Pixar films are conservative by nature though, is there?
I mean, they're children's films after all.

I don't see how children's films are inherently conservative (depends on what you mean by conservative, too).

Financially, it just makes sense.
As liberal as most parents claim to be, I'm sure the most liberal straight parents would at the very least feel uncomfortable with a major cartoon that showed gay/lesbian parents.
Hell, I think that the Rugrats movie, where there was an interracial marriage, was probably the most "edgy" a family cartoon can get without drawing offence.
The closest Pixar has come to this is with Nemo, when at the end two different species of "fish" get together to form a family unit.

You look at Cars, where they even gendered the cars... because, you know, only boys race in NASCAR and girls have to be the backup/supporting character. And then there's the whole "let's go back to the 50s when everything was simpler" theme... except, of course, the 50s weren't a great time for everyone - depending on your race/gender.

I mean, I enjoy Pixar movies. Hell, I own all the Pixar Blu-Ray movies. They're fun, simple movies for children and have enough "adult" comedy for the parents/adults who watch them. But I don't think they aren't problematic. But then again, nothing isn't problematic - and that's the point.

Yeeaah...I don't see it.

On the subject of that Firefly review, that comments section is one of the more disturbing things I've read lately.

 

[zenophite]

It seems reasonable to say that gay couples that are parents are a very small minority. To me there seems to be no sensible reason as to why any creative artist needs to yield to the wishes of some particular group.
If bird wants to make a film with what is considered the traditional family unit then why should that be the source of so much commotion?

 

[firehawk12]

I don't know about this particular reviewer, but as an academic, raced, gender-based, sexuality-based readings are often meant to contextualize a text within a specific social condition.
So, while I believe that ahistorical readings of a text can be problematic (ie, Shakespeare was "racist", even though "racism" as a British concept was only "invented" in the 18th century), I think there's room to criticize, with academic rigour, a text for issues of representation.

Bird, any indeed any artist, is welcome to write and create the stories they want. But that's not to say there may not be any problems with their work.

Of course, I'm the asshole who thinks that the representation of race in Star Trek and Stargate is highly problematic and got a MA out of it.

Yeeaah...I don't see it.

That's fine. When I saw the lowrider and it had a Latino accent, it stuck out.
That movie wanted it both ways... to be "beyond" race by using cars as characters but using racial stereotypes to create those characters.

 

[JM1776]

The word for the day is "eisegesis."

 

[David cgc]

http://users.livejournal.com/_allecto_/34718.html

She's indeed way off the mark--not only on that scene you mentioned, but on the show overall.

However, her reviews are a credit to humanity by virtue of inspiring an absolutely hilarious parody.

 

[Dusty Ayres]

what on earth could they have against firefly?

I think she stopped watching after the pilot because most of the review was about Mal's line about Kaylee being so cheerful that he wished he could tie her up and toss her in the hold. The reviewer thought that Mal really would do this and spent most of his time raping Kaylee or something. It's really worth looking up.

I Googled it and found it here:

http://users.livejournal.com/_allecto_/34718.html

She's indeed way off the mark--not only on that scene you mentioned, but on the show overall.

Sean

I just read it, and all I have to say is-

Holy Motherfrakking Lords Of Kobol!!!!

That's nothing compared to what she says about Joss Whedon's wife:

Fair enough, but I'm keeping my tone. I'm angry about violence against women and I have every right to be.

I feel awful for Joss Whedon's wife. From what I've read about him and the interviews I've watched, I'm fairly certain that he rapes his wife and abuses her in various other ways. I honestly can't think of anything worse than living with a man like Joss who thinks of women like the way he portrays in his tv shows. How awful. The comment about the money was meant to be about how I personally could see no benefit from being with a man like Joss OTHER than money. Joss uses and abuses her. Probably rapes her and thinks of women as whores etc, etc. Obviously, Ms Whedon has her own reasons for staying. Fear, patriarchal concepts of love, etc. But I would argue that she gives everything and gets nothing. Money is the only concrete thing that she could possibly gain. But as I said money is worth nothing compared with self-integrity, self-esteem, love (sister/lesbian/gynaffectionate love) etc. So she still loses out. Poor woman.

I support women but not their choices. Choice for women is not the same as self-determiniation. I support women to become self-centering and self-determinining. I do not support their patriarchally constricted 'choices'.

'I feel awful for Joss Whedon's wife'

 

[Neroon]

All too often, when you start out with a certain predisposition, you will find the evidence to back it up. Or so you think. Makes me wonder just what this person's definition of "feminist" entails.

 

[USS Kongo]

http://users.livejournal.com/_allecto_/34718.html

She's indeed way off the mark--not only on that scene you mentioned, but on the show overall.

However, her reviews are a credit to humanity by virtue of inspiring an absolutely hilarious parody.

Now that was funny. God bless the 'net.

Thanks for the link, David.

Sean

 

[StarTrek1701]

Bitter people being bitter because they are unwanted in society. Nothing new, move along.

 

[Neroon]

I honestly read her articles trying to understand her point of view, listening to her arguments with as open a mind as possible. Frankly... she just struck me as having a preconception that was not going to be challenged, no matter what.

 

[firehawk12]

Well, she's not a feminist. She's just crazy.

 

[wamdue]

http://users.livejournal.com/_allecto_/34718.html

She's indeed way off the mark--not only on that scene you mentioned, but on the show overall.

However, her reviews are a credit to humanity by virtue of inspiring an absolutely hilarious parody.

great you just ruined firefly for me

I have to wonder what feminist's type think about Obama.

 

[JonathonWally]

Ok, I just read the crazy femi-nazi's review of Firefly, now how do I un-read it?

 

[Jack Bauer]

I think she stopped watching after the pilot because most of the review was about Mal's line about Kaylee being so cheerful that he wished he could tie her up and toss her in the hold. The reviewer thought that Mal really would do this and spent most of his time raping Kaylee or something. It's really worth looking up.

I Googled it and found it here:

http://users.livejournal.com/_allecto_/34718.html

She's indeed way off the mark--not only on that scene you mentioned, but on the show overall.

Sean

I just read it, and all I have to say is-

Holy Motherfrakking Lords Of Kobol!!!!

That's nothing compared to what she says about Joss Whedon's wife:

Fair enough, but I'm keeping my tone. I'm angry about violence against women and I have every right to be.

I feel awful for Joss Whedon's wife. From what I've read about him and the interviews I've watched, I'm fairly certain that he rapes his wife and abuses her in various other ways. I honestly can't think of anything worse than living with a man like Joss who thinks of women like the way he portrays in his tv shows. How awful. The comment about the money was meant to be about how I personally could see no benefit from being with a man like Joss OTHER than money. Joss uses and abuses her. Probably rapes her and thinks of women as whores etc, etc. Obviously, Ms Whedon has her own reasons for staying. Fear, patriarchal concepts of love, etc. But I would argue that she gives everything and gets nothing. Money is the only concrete thing that she could possibly gain. But as I said money is worth nothing compared with self-integrity, self-esteem, love (sister/lesbian/gynaffectionate love) etc. So she still loses out. Poor woman.

I support women but not their choices. Choice for women is not the same as self-determiniation. I support women to become self-centering and self-determinining. I do not support their patriarchally constricted 'choices'.

'I feel awful for Joss Whedon's wife'

Holy shit! I hope "Ms. Whedon" kicks this chick's ass.

 

[JuanBolio]

Do women like this enjoy ANYTHING where women are less than ultra-intelligent lesbian superwomen and men are anything more than bumbling, muscle-bound oafs, vastly inferior?

 

[wamdue]

i think alot of them don't like living in a world where men exist, and as such men have an influence on women, in the firefly review she seems to object to the fact that Walsh likes women to be strong.

my thinking is these women should go live on an island where there are no men, and go without any of the achievements of MAN, such as oh I dont know electricity.

 

[zenophite]

i think alot of them don't like living in a world where men exist, and as such men have an influence on women, in the firefly review she seems to object to the fact that Walsh likes women to be strong.

my thinking is these women should go live on an island where there are no men, and go without any of the achievements of MAN, such as oh I dont know electricity.

Well the inevitable response might be that any of the achievements of man are actually thanks to "wimin" through some asinine convoluted logic.

 

[wamdue]

i think alot of them don't like living in a world where men exist, and as such men have an influence on women, in the firefly review she seems to object to the fact that Walsh likes women to be strong.

my thinking is these women should go live on an island where there are no men, and go without any of the achievements of MAN, such as oh I dont know electricity.

Well the inevitable response might be that any of the achievements of man are actually thanks to "wimin" through some asinine convoluted logic.

yes you are probaly right about that.

 

[JonathonWally]

i think alot of them don't like living in a world where men exist, and as such men have an influence on women, in the firefly review she seems to object to the fact that Walsh likes women to be strong.

my thinking is these women should go live on an island where there are no men, and go without any of the achievements of MAN, such as oh I dont know electricity.

Well the inevitable response might be that any of the achievements of man are actually thanks to "wimin" through some asinine convoluted logic.

How's this for "asinine convoluted logic" man's number 1 motivation, to get some ass!

 

[zenophite]

How's this for "asinine convoluted logic" man's number 1 motivation, to get some ass!

I'll do you one better.

If it were not for men wanting to impress women then there would be no civilization. We men would be happily hunting our deer and mammoth in a pollution free natural world.

In other words, women are to blame for pollution, war and global warming.